Description
Enjoy a flavorful and easy orecchiette with sausage and broccoli dish that’s perfect for weeknights. This orecchiette sausage broccoli recipe brings together Italian orecchiette with broccoli rabe sausage and a hint of garlic parmesan for a spicy, comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz. broccoli florets about 2 small crowns
- 1 lb. orecchiette pasta
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 16 oz. raw Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cups reserved pasta water
- topping: grated parmesan cheese olive oil red pepper flakes freshly cracked pepper flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse and trim broccoli then chop the florets into small pieces.
- Cook orecchiette pasta as per package instructions but drain 2 minutes before done and keep 2 cups of pasta water aside.
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet and crumble the raw Italian sausage into it. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned.
- Stir in chopped broccoli and garlic then cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, adding a splash of water to help steam the broccoli soften.
- Add the drained pasta and half of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss everything well and add more pasta water if needed to moisten.
- Serve topped with parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly cracked pepper as desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days
- Avoid freezing to keep texture intact
- Reheat in a skillet or microwave and add olive oil if dry
- You can substitute pork sausage with chicken or turkey sausage
- Use smaller pasta shapes like medium shells or penne if orecchiette is unavailable
- Prep broccoli ahead by chopping it ready
- Serve alongside Italian chopped salad and garlic bread for a full meal
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 60mg